The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

We have learned that the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has confirmed at its general congress in Stockholm 16-19 May that the Republic of Belarus will host the 2014 IIHF World Championship.

The Ministry of Justice took the side of the "Young Front" activist Andrei Tychyna in his long-standing dispute with the Salihorsk District Court.

A voluntary cleaning of the recreation zone near Lake Belaye in Belaaziorsk was held under a vigilant supervision of the local police. Activists of the civil campaign "Tell the Truth!", the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) and the Free Trade Union of Belarus have cleaned this territory for several years already.

On 9 May civic society activists of Baranavichy commemorated the people who had perished during WWII and the times of Stalin's repressions. At first they laid down flowers to the Eternal Flame in the center of the city and then – near the cross to victims of Stalin's repressions of 1939-1953 at the crossing of Pirahou and Smalenskaya Streets (the place where "Kryvoye Kola" ("Crooked Circle") prison used to be situated). The iron cross was installed there in 1992 as a memorial sign to victims of Bolshevik repressions in Belarus.

A member of the Conservative-Christian Party "Belarusian Popular Front" Vital Kavalenka was charged with violating the Law on Mass Events. A week ago similar charges were given to his alley Yan Dziarzhautsau.

Salihorsk District Court didn't grant the appeal of civic activist Uladzimir Shyla against the ban of the picket he intended to hold on Freedom Day, 25 March. The trial was lead by the deputy-head of the court Ala Trafimchuk.

On 7 May in Baranavichy an activist of the United Civil Party Anzhalika Kambalava was detained for holding a picket to remind the people about the missing ex-Minister of Interior, Yury Zakharanka.